Is the eve of the year 2000 a time to seek a safe harbor, to party all night, or repent?

According to the Rev. Dr. John Avant, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Christians should, “Celebrate and share the joy... we're celebrating 2000 years of the Savior. Let people who don't know the Lord see the joy in you,” Avant told his congregation.

He believes that too much attention has been given to Y2K. “I've made an effort to think about the whole issue in a different way. The threat of Y2K has caused a lot of people to worry about possible disasters. That's very self-centered of us. There will be nothing worse happening on Jan. 1 than what's happening right now.”

Avant was referring to issues faced today in society, such as hunger, violence and the collapse of the culture.

The best advice for dealing with Y2K fears is to seek solace in God, according to Avant. Referring to the letters of Peter in the Bible, Avant quotes, ”Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour...”

“I offer you a sovereign God who's in control. He'll be enough for us,” Avant promised.

“What will happen on Jan. 1? Nobody knows what will happen,” he admitted. He described a number of possibilities — nothing at all, minor inconveniences, major inconveniences overseas, extended crises, total meltdown.

“I believe there will be minor inconveniences here and some problems overseas, particularly in Third World countries,” he said.

Avant has advised his congregation to prepare for Y2K as they would ready themselves for an ice storm. Taking a practical approach, he suggested having a disaster supply kit available, as recommended by the American Red Cross. “I don't believe you'll need it, but someday, somebody will need help. Have water and flashlights. Don't stockpile food... don't send to Oregon for a 10-year supply of lentils. The scariest thing is churches stockpiling food. It bothers the fool out of me... there are people who are hungry today. If there were a major cataclysm, the church would become a fortress,” he said.

He also advised people not to make a run on the banks. A sure fire way to undermine the American economy is to withdraw all your funds. “The greatest danger is our own dumbness,” he warned.

Avant said he knows that “God knows I am and where we'll be and that's enough for me... follow Him boldly... in the middle of Y2K and everthing it brings.”

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